Rock Band vs. Guitar Hero Compatibility : What game is right for you?

Rock Band and Guitar Hero III are both some completely awesome music games and they offer some great choices for gamers but there is some serious confusion about the guitar controllers out there. There was a Wikipedia article that had an easy to understand chart. Unfortunately the pencil necked Uber Geek cabal that runs Wikipedia has deemed it important to delete it. Luckily there is a Google Cache of the article with an easy to understand chart. Since the Wikipedia article is under a GNU License I might post it here if this article does not clear up the confusion.

Originally the first semi popular guitar type game was GuitarFreaks by Konami. It was an arcade game that also came out on the PS2 in Japan and Korea but it never officially came out in the states. In the movie Lost in Translation you can see someone playing the arcade game.

Then Harmonix teamed up with accessory maker Red Octane to make Guitar Hero for PS2, Guitar Hero 2 PS2 and Xbox 360 and Guitar Hero Encore Rocks the 80s for PS2. Then they spit up and Harmonix developed Rock Band with EA/MTV for Xbox 360 and PS3. Then Activision and Red Octane went on to develop Guitar Hero 3 for PS2, PS3, PC, Wii and Xbox 360.

Game: Guitar Hero II
Guitar : Wired SG Gibson (Red)
Guitar compatible with : GH 1, GH 2 and GH 3 on PS2 only.
Notable Features: An awesome follow up with a great track list, Dual Mode, Guitar Hero 1 and 2 for PS2 are available in a double pack without the guitars.

Game: Guitar Hero Encore : Rocks the 80s.
Guitar : None, Not Bundled with a Guitar but it uses PS2 guitar controllers
Notable Features: Totally Rad Track List that is currently only on the PS2. I really hope that they eventually port it to the Xbox 360.

Game: Guitar Hero III
Guitar : Wired SG Gibson (Red)
Guitar compatible with : GH 1, GH 2 and GH 3 on PS2 only.
Notable Features: Still and awesome game on the PS2, Dual Mode, Not Online, Target is selling a double pack of two SG Gibson guitars with a copy of GH3.

A wireless version of the Guitar Hero SG Gibson for the PS2 is sold separately. Also the PS2 versions of the controllers do NOT work with the Playstation 3.

Platform : Nintendo Wii

Game: Guitar Hero III
Guitar : Wireless Les Paul
Guitar compatible with : GH 3 for Wii
Notable Features: A Wii game that actually features online gameplay and is a pretty popular version of the game. the Wiimote snaps into the guitar.

Platform : Xbox 360

Game: Guitar Hero II
Guitar : Wired X- Plorer
Guitar compatible with : GH 2, GH 3 and Rock Band on Xbox 360
Notable Features: An awesome HD version with additional songs than the PS2 version. Supports downloaded additional tracks including many songs from the original Guitar Hero. The guitar works with Rock Band on the Xbox 360 but there is no sound effect filters since there is no switch for them.

The wired X-Plorer controller is also sold separately without the game.

Game: Guitar Hero III
Guitar : Wireless Les Paul
Guitar compatible with : GH 2, GH 3 and Rock Band on Xbox 360
Notable Features: An awesome game with an awesome track list. Has the best feeling wireless guitar that is compatible with the most games. This is the one version that I recommend the most. The guitar works with Rock Band on the Xbox 360 but there is no sound effect filters since there is no switch for them. However I love the feel of this controller and it’s my favorite Guitar controller.

Game: Rock Band
Guitar : Wired Fender Stratocaster
Guitar compatible with : Rock Band on Xbox 360, (At this time was not able to find info to confirm that the wired Xbox Stratacaster works on Guitar Hero III) Update: Readers have confirmed that you can NOT play Guitar Hero III with the Rock Band guitar on Xbox 360.
Notable Features: An completely awesome game. The only guitar that has sound effect filters and has two sets of fret buttons. A very realistic feeling guitar that looks great.

Platform : Playstation 3

Game: Rock Band
Guitar : Wireless (with a USB Dongle) Fender Stratocaster
Guitar compatible with : Rock Band on PS3, (It has been confirmed that it is NOT compatible with Guitar Hero III on PS3)
Notable Features: An completely awesome game. Has sound effect filters and has two sets of fret buttons. A very realistic feeling guitar that looks great. Online game play with additional downloable content.

Game: Guitar Hero III
Guitar : Wireless Les Paul
Guitar compatible with : Guitar Hero III on PS 3 (Confirmed that it does not work with Rock Band on PS3 and it will not work playing the PS2 games on the PS3)
Notable Features: An awesome game with an awesome track list.

So what game is right for you? In a perfect world I would recommend going with the Xbox 360 version of the game since it has three guitar games that it can run with out any major compatibility issues if you get a Guitar Hero guitar.

All are awesome games and I can’t wait to see more Guitar Hero and Rock Band in the form of downloaded songs or sequels.

Guitar Hero 3 is going to be awesome on the Nintendo Wii and I see a lot of overlap for the Wii audience and Guitar Hero.

Rock Band is sort of for more experience music gamers with a PS3 or xbox 360s and are into cooperative online gameplay. I also think that Rock Band has a better approach to Downloaded Content and that the effect of playing with others doing multiple instruments is a much greater sum than just playing a single instrument.

Probably the only thing that can create more performance anxiety than public speaking is public singing with an audience. So I understand why the singing is a much more intimate performance than playing the instruments. But it’s all about roll playing and laying it out for all to see. However at this point everyone is about the same level of experience and no one has ever told me that I sucked after singing a song. However I did get kicked out of a band for dissing Emo.

While I am on the topic of music games. Where is the rap music games? Where is Rap Hero or Rap Band?

Rap and Hip Hop has been super popular for a couple decades now and where is the video game music love? I mean the closest that we have had to rap music game is Parappa the Rappa 1 and 2. Rap stars have been in wrestling games, pimping rides, racing games, crime action games, fighting games but not actually rapping games. I’ve played Epic and Sabotage in Rock Band and that seems to work awesome So where us the plastic wheels of Steel USB controller?

Update: There was a PS2 game called Get On Da Mic but it looks like the developers did a really bad job.

Sleater-Kinney’s guitarist tests out Rock Band. As a guy with a deeper voice when ever I have to sing something that is intended for a female vocalist I’ll either try to sing it like a crooner or with a British accent. I have yet to hear a female singer on Xbox Live. I can’t wait because there is something awesome about girl rockers belting out traditionally macho songs like Paranoid or Enter Sandman. Both Rock Band and Guitar Hero should be inviting to female gamers as well as gamers of all ages.